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The most common mistake people make with generators, is the only time they turn them on is right when shit is hitting the fan lol. Just to find it out something doesn’t work. Make sure you fire it up a few times during the year to keep them in good shape. Speaking from experience here lol

I turn my fuel off and let my mower run out and have never had a carb issue in almost 20 years..good advice

I agree with everything you said, but I'll add a few more:  Ethanol will pull moisture right out of the air, and before you know it, you have water in your gas tanks.  I minimize this by keeping both my generator tank and any tanks storing fuel as full as possible, thus minimizing the amount of air in the tank.  I keep and store my generator gas separately in a dark, cool corner of the garage, to lessen the affect of temperature changes, and I don't use it for anything else, until it's time to pour it into the lawnmower or car, so it doesn't get too old.   I also keep them as tightly sealed as possible, while still being careful not to allow any pressure to build up in the containers.  Next, make sure you have the correct grade of oil for your weather conditions.  I have seen generators with oil so thick in the winter you could barely pull the rope.  For those of us with temperature that ranges between -10 and 100 degrees, an oil change between seasons might be in order, or use a good synthetic that will cover the entire temperature range.  Additionally, since most generators are air cooled, make sure it's out in the open with good air flow, so it isn't recycling it's own hot air, particularly in the summer.  This should also prevent any carbon monoxide issues. Finally, parts stores aren't usually open at 2am in the middle of a storm.   While I make a point of staying ahead on maintenance, and replacing anything starting to show signs of wear, I keep some spare parts on hand, or at least some good used ones. Air filters, fuel filters, and spark plugs might come in handy, as well as the supplies to perform an oil change, should you find yourself in an extended duration outage.

I was a electrician for the VA Medical Center for many years now retired we test run all our diesel generators weekly.

I run a small engine shop. This is all great advice. Last week before the ice storm we got in about 40-50 generators. A good 85% with fuel related problems. We were able to get most back to customers before the storm but the ones waiting on parts were out of luck. Run your generator every month! Make sure it’s ready. Because if it’s 2 days before a big storm, there’s not a huge likelihood a shop can get it back to you in time.

I put a quick-disconnect plug between the starter battery and the generator so I can store the battery in the warm garage and make start-up more reliable in the winter

I run my stationary generators on propane. Even though I have to derate the power to 75%, it just easier and less noxious. I run every generator once a month for 15 minutes. They always work, and with a large propane tank(100 gallon) I have lots of energy storage.

Another great video. Never knew about the PowerBack alarm - that's a great tip.

I’ve always run a dual fuel generator. I only use fresh non ethanol fuel if I use fuel at all. I mainly use propane. I fire my generator up at least once a month and let it run for 25-30 minutes. I’ve also taken the spark plug provided with the generator and replaced it with a good plug, ngk, champion etc and always keep a spare or two on hand. Simple maintenance goes a long ways with these little power plants

Thanks for your series on generators and maintenance and safety - it has been a huge help for me.

I have 4 generators, and been using generators for over 40 years, one thing I like to do is whenever I have one running I have a portable fan running off of the generator blowing through the generator to blow exhaust away and help keep it run cool which helps the oil life and the generator life.

One of the best ways to keep fresh gas in the generator is to pump out all the gas and at the end of every season put it in your car and run it until the gas in the carburetor runs out and put new fresh gas in it

Bundle up. Have backup heat.

The drain on the StormResponder conveniently points straight at the support bar to make it easy to find the oil. /s

Plot twist: That was his house he melted.

Also make sure your generator puts out enough watts to cycle your heating system/furnace, or AC unit too in the summer.

Thank you for the reminder. I have to remove my bonding on my Generator.

My electrician son told me this morning to start my 20 yr old, 5,000 watt genny today and check the voltages. It started on 1st pull and all outlets tested correct voltage. I have not started it in 15 years!  For storage, I always turn off the fuel valve and run it until it dies, then drain all unused fuel from the tank. We are projected to get up to 2” of ICE this weekend which could be devastating. There are no gennys or heaters available for sale or rent anywhere in the area.

yeah I made a lot of mistakes with my generator. was outside in single digits trying to fix it down in MA ahead of the storm. this video is great for what I can do moving forward. really appreciate it man.